1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a processing machine for forming micro grooves, and more particularly, to a processing machine provided with a reciprocation device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical component, such as a diffraction grating, has a large number of micro grooves on its surface. An ultra-precision machine is used to work the micro grooves on the optical component. The optical component should be formed with thousands to ten-thousands of micro grooves, so that the processing time for the micro grooves is inevitably long. In order to shorten the processing time, therefore, dedicated processing machines for high-speed processing are frequently used according to individual processing shapes.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-130712 discloses a processing machine configured to process a workpiece with a tool that is reciprocated at high speed with respect to the workpiece, which can reduce a force required when a moving direction of the processing machine is reversed, thereby enabling to carry out a straight groove processing at high speed.
Further, the shapes of micro grooves formed on optical components are becoming more and more complicated. In many cases, grooves are formed with gradually varying angles or formed on curved surfaces, for example. Thus, there is a demand for a processing machine capable of high-speed micro-processing and of flexibly coping with processing for micro grooves of various shapes.